Lotus Type 116

[C8RKH]

I thought it was about time we added the VX220 to the list of "other" Lotus cars that we have on here. There's quite a number of Lotus members on here who either currently have, or have come from, the VX220 and if we're honest it is more of a Lotus car than some of the more often lauded about "classics".

The car was designed and built by Lotus. The engine was actually a Lotus design I believe too. And at the time, the Type 116 was a bloody life saver for Lotus so I do think it is only fair and about time the car got much more appreciation from the general Lotus fraternity. 

The VX220 or Type 116 is absolutely a Lotus - the Lotus DNA runs throughout it and there is no doubting that it's mother and father were from the Loti family and gene pool.

Below are a few pictures of mine to get the ball rolling. It is mainly used as a track car these days and as a result the upgrades have been more in-line with that type of use and include:

Stainless steel brake hoses

Supercharger - fitted in Dec 2017 and full Stage 2 with intercooler etc and pushing about 230bhp but I need to map the Dutch software and change the manifold to get around 250bhp (on the cards)

Oil catcher - they are well known for tipping hot oil under / on to the nearside rear wheel when cornering

60 ltr pro-alloy fuel tank and Spitfire fuel pump

Corbeau Pro drivers seat

Detachable steering wheel

She's a 2001 car and had a full suspension refresh (all parts coated in Por 15) in 2016

Larini back box and new manifold (2016) - she sounds absolutely fooking mental

Spitfire toe link kit fitted in 2018

Team dynamics wheels and ABS cut-off switch

She will be in for a service in a couple of weeks (to the excellent Craig Moncrieff in Edinburgh) and she will either get a partial respray due to road rash (front clam and lower sills) or a colour change, most likely at the equally well known and respected Protek in Bathgate.

Other work lined up includes a GARW 8" digital dash that I need to install, Carbon fibre door panels (Eltech) and a sills and dash top re-trimmed. The finally additional is the excellent new rear brace from Spitfire to support the rear chassis and some Nitrons that will hopefully be fitted in February.

Other than that, she is as she left the factory 

[Bibs]

17 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

I thought it was about time we added the VX220 to the list of "other" Lotus cars that we have on here.

[2GOOD]

 

Loved both of the cars I owned, kept the VXR220 (above) for over 12 years before the need for a V6 took hold

[scotty435]

Mine sadly sold 12 years ago 😢

[jep]

19 hours ago, C8RKH said:

I thought it was about time we added the VX220 to the list of "other" Lotus cars that we have on here. There's quite a number of Lotus members on here who either currently have, or have come from, the VX220 and if we're honest it is more of a Lotus car than some of the more often lauded about "classics".

Love the VX220 and would like to own one; especially the VXR model. As long as we don't start letting the Mk 1 Toyota MR2 on to the Forum, which I understand Lotus did a ton of development work on....😉, and is a very brilliant car.

[C8RKH]

35 minutes ago, jep said:

Love the VX220 and would like to own one; especially the VXR model. As long as we don't start letting the Mk 1 Toyota MR2 on to the Forum, which I understand Lotus did a ton of development work on....😉, and is a very brilliant car.

The MR2 does not stand a chance. The Type 116 (VX220) is a genuine Lotus car. Designed by lotus, and importantly, BUILT by Lotus in Hethel. There is a big difference between Lotus doing development on a car (they have done tons of these) and Lotus actually designing and building the car.

The Vauxhall branded 2.2 NA engine in the VX220 was actually designed by Lotus too and is a lightweight, all alloy, super little engine and goes someway towards explaining why the NA is a very sweet handling car.  By contrast, the VXTurbo uses an iron deadweight of an engine from GM and whilst it does provide significantly more performance with i believe i around  195-200bhp, you can feel the extra weight of that engine and the turbo etc (the VXT is a not inconsiderable 60kg heavier than the NA) in the back and the boost does kind of kick in - although you can remap to smooth this out somewhat successfully I believe. 

I'm biased, but for me, the 2.2 with the supercharger upgrade (which can be bought as an OEM bolt on upgrade from GM) provides the best £ for performance bang. It keeps the lightweight 2.2 alloy engine but boosts power from around 147bhp to anywhere between 220 and 260bhp easily which really does transform the VX into a little pocket rocket.  Some have gone to 300bhp+ and there are turbo cars out there with 500bhp or more which must be quite a handful when you consider the car weighs around 930kg.

So, I'm a self confessed convert and fan of the VX220, you might be able to tell. Cracking little cars. Great value for money at the moment. Easily upgradeable to Elise Cup 220/250 performance levels for a fraction of the price with that special Lotus DNA and know how. Really, what is there not to like about these cars?  So sad that the factory/Lotus want nothing to do with them, I guess they should have been called the Lotus Snow!

[C8RKH]

So an update. Currently working in Southampton but will be on the 2100 to Edinburgh tonight, quick stop over in an airport hotel and then pickup my little silver Type116 from Craig Moncrieff who has been looking after her this week!

To make sure she is ready for the start of a fun filled year of events off and on the track she has been undergoing some fettling:

• New nitron suspension fitted and setup
• Full geo to 340R spec
• New hub carrier bolts
• Spitfire chassis brace - the VX subframe is not as stiff as the Elise and these works with the toe link kit to stiffen the whole rear up
• Spitfire VRSAS -  http://www.spitfireengineering.com/variable-rate-steering-arm-system-vrsas
• Full service and general pre-track day checkover including new SRF brake fluid etc

I'll pick her up around 0930 tomorrow and will be heading off North to home via some lovely isolated, empty twisty roads 

A week later she'll be in the paint shop to get the front bumper resprayed due to 20 years of stone chips and a few track days in my ownership and she should then be in fine fettle for her first track outing at Knockhill the end of March, quickly followed by a 1,000 mile weekend trip to include Blyton park and then a the 3 day VX220 Highland Hoon and the VX national at Bedford where i will hopefully get 5 laps before being black flagged for noise thanks to the SC and Larini back box! Don;t get me started on the numpty that chose that location for a VX meet....... 

The next 3 months are really shaping up to be fun months with the VX and plans are afoot for a complete strip down, repaint and rebuild during the coming winter so the car should be better than factory fresh and ready for the next decade of road and track fun for me. (oh, and possibly a mild uplift to stage 3 SC and circa 300bhp!).  So, come on you VX owners out there, what you doing with your Type 116?

The Evora 410 Sport will still be feeling some love as also just signed up for the 3 day Highland Hoon with rev limits in April, we're all booked up for the IoM S.E.L.O.C. annual pilgrimage in September and some other nice things planned too.  Roll on the summer.....

[Don.Hasi]

Just seen this section today 😱 

Yes, for those who loved the JPS Team Lotus wedges seeing them win in the 70 on TV and have a soft spot for VX / Opel because your first car was a Nova and the family had some sedans of it, well there was a jackpot feeling getting all together in one car. I love it to bits and hopefully my daughter will appreciate it, when I couldn’t get in anymore 🙏

It will stay the weekender for two. It has a raspy Komotec manifold, Nitrons, upgraded brakes and many other small things. Just this year it has not got any mls. But it will be changed soon

[Angus553]

First saw this car about 20 years ago (10/99 iirc.)at the Earls Court motor show where it was kept under a pyramid and then the pyramid was raised up every 20 mins or so along with a great fanfare of music and lights.

[Goatboy]

Used to love my vx. Only had it for a year before I decided I had too many cars. Wish I hadn't sold it but it seemed like the right decision at the time....

(Mines the blue one)

[Gibbie]

And here’s mine!

 

 

 

[jep]

More VX220 pictures please. Love these Griffins. Gotta get a VXR one day, I do like a bit of turbo lag. 

Justin 

[2GOOD]

OK, the Lightning Yellow 2.2 that I owned before my VXR pictured above in this thread

[scotty435]

My 220 turbo form many years ago

[2GOOD]

4 hours ago, 2GOOD said:

OK, the Lightning Yellow 2.2 that I owned before my VXR pictured above in this thread

I’ve just remembered where & when this photo was taken. 2004 Charleville-Mezieres, after staying here we set off for lay-by in Luxembourg & met up with Opel Speedsters from all over Europe & other vx220’s we were the first Brits to arrive, it was a lovely site & the start of a great weekend. I don’t know if @Don.Hasi was one of the Speedster owners?
 A day driving round Luxembourg & the following day my first visit to the ring.

[Don.Hasi]

@2GOOD unfortunately not. I have been on all meetings around Europe this very year. The only one, which I didnt attend,, was this one. IIRC there were beside a black and yellow turbo from the Eifel a silver Honda Elise which blocked some crossings for the tour? The description sounded like you all had a lot of fun. 2004 and 2005 were the epic years with international gatherings. I remember Sicey with his red RHD VX on some meetings in the Alsace as well.

it was a brilliant time with a great united international community. A part why I still love this car so much.

[Don.Hasi]

@jep your Order, Sir 😎

[2GOOD]

2 hours ago, Don.Hasi said:

@2GOOD unfortunately not. I have been on all meetings around Europe this very year. The only one, which I didnt attend,, was this one. IIRC there were beside a black and yellow turbo from the Eifel a silver Honda Elise which blocked some crossings for the tour? The description sounded like you all had a lot of fun. 2004 and 2005 were the epic years with international gatherings. I remember Sicey with his red RHD VX on some meetings in the Alsace as well.

it was a brilliant time with a great united international community. A part why I still love this car so much.

Yes, I’ve met Sicey, he was in a Mercedes rental car in 2004.

We went on a run to France when he was back in the UK & his car was playing up. Unfortunately he split with his wife not long after & the car had to be sold

[2GOOD]

2 hours ago, Don.Hasi said:

@2GOOD unfortunately not. I have been on all meetings around Europe this very year. The only one, which I didnt attend,, was this one. IIRC there were beside a black and yellow turbo from the Eifel a silver Honda Elise which blocked some crossings for the tour? The description sounded like you all had a lot of fun. 2004 and 2005 were the epic years with international gatherings. I remember Sicey with his red RHD VX on some meetings in the Alsace as well.

it was a brilliant time with a great united international community. A part why I still love this car so much.

Yes, I’ve met Sicey, he was in a Mercedes rental car in 2004.

We went on a run to France when he was back in the UK & his car was playing up. Unfortunately he split with his wife not long after & the car had to be sold

[C8RKH]

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features/lotus-elise-s2-vauxhall-vx220---better-together/42189

Nice write up on the VX and Elise

Some pictures, where the VX belongs:

[C8RKH]

So, VX was in for a service, new full exhaust system and a few bits and bobs last week. Today I finally got round to fitting my 8" Garw screen and it worked!  It's not often I get the spanners and screwdrivers out and even less often when it actually goes OK lol!  The job was made slightly harder by some numb fook previous owner thinking it would be a good idea to use loads a glue to permanently fix on the instrument binnacle cover!  Took a bloody hour to finally get it off in one piece!

[Goatboy]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

 

That looks amazing! Is this a commonly done mod now?

[C8RKH]

I believe a few people have done it, to their VX and Elise's. You could get a 7 and a 8", not sure if now it is just a 7" that is availablenow.

[C8RKH]

OK, so I spent this morning getting my hands dirty and taking stuff off the car and putting some new stuff back on. I had bought the Eltech Carbon Door skins some time ago  and only just got around to putting them on. My lead time is even longer that Eltech's if you can believe that!

So, quite please with the job I've done. Not quite "plug and play" as the carbon card needed some small cutting to really work properly and I think Eltech need to review their template a bit. Was a bit scary cutting into Carbon, never done it before, but hey how, we survived. So drivers side done, now need to do the passengers. Does give you quite a bit extra room in the car.

 

 

 

[Goatboy]

Never seen those before. Nice solution to get you a but more (very much needed) space! 👍